Awards are given to contestants in numerous types of competitions. For example, bowlers engaged in league competition are eligible to receive a veritable plethora of awards. These awards are usually in the form of patches, which are sometimes known as chevrons, made of a semirigid cloth material of various configurations and usually fit within the perimeter of a 4" square.
Participants in other sporting activities also receive substantially two-dimensional awards. For example, different colored prize ribbons are commonly awarded in dog shows and horse shows.
In addition to awards received for performance participants in various activities also frequently purchase commercially available patches as aforedescribed having humorous quotations or other emblems. They may also acquire photographs pertaining to their activities and circle of friends.
For purposes of this application, including the specifications and accompanying claims, the term "award" is to be broadly construed to include substantially two-dimensional objects of the type above described regardless whether they are earned, purchased, manufactured, or otherwise acquired by the owner of the award.
Persons who acquire a large quantity of awards are confronted with a dilemma of how to properly display the awards. Since many awards are manufactured of a semirigid cloth the owner usually sews the award to an item of clothing apparel commonly used while the owner is engaged in the activity to which the award pertains. For example, a bowler who earns an award commonly sews the award onto a shirt or a blouse which the bowler usually wears while bowling in the league from which the award was earned. However, bowlers often participate in more than one league and often are sponsored by more than one sponsoring organization. Such a bowler usually is provided with a different shirt or blouse by each sponsor and each such garment bears the name or insignia of the sponsor across the back of the garment.
Since each sponsor naturally wants all participants to wear the garment advertising their sponsor a bowler who earns a highly prized award, such as for bowling a perfect game, as a practical matter cannot effectively display the award on a shirt or blouse while bowling for more than one sponsor as it is impractical to transfer the award to each shirt or blouse which is worn each time the bowler participates for the respective sponsors.
Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,055,133 is a United States Patent which describes a transparent jacket with picture pockets which may be used for the display of numerous awards. However, such a jacket would require the wearer to add an additional article of clothing while participating in a sport and thus impede their activity. In addition, the pockets in Anderson are of a conventional design and on the inside of the jacket and are open to objects other than awards and thus would not adequately protect the awards from rain, dust, dirt, and foreign particles.
Wilson, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,067,794 and Cook 1,039,902 are United States Patents which illustrate pieces of luggage having pockets which contain a card intended to display the name and address of the owner for ease of identification. However, neither of these patents provide a satisfactory measure of protection to effectively seal such pockets so as to prevent the introduction into such pockets of undesirable dirt and other foreign objects.
The participant in an activity often must use a piece of luggage for purposes of transporting equipment necessary to such activity. For example, a bowler usually uses a piece of luggage commonly called a bowling bag to carry his bowling ball and shoes and personal necessities to a bowling alley. A trapshooter uses gun cases to transport his firearms. Persons who show animals may use a case to transport combs, brushes, and other incidentals for maintaining the animals.
It is thus apparent that participants in numerous activities need both a piece of luggage to carry objects pertaining to their activity and a way of displaying awards pertaining to said activity. Such luggage is customized for the needs of the user but in general, and for purposes of this specification and accompanying claims, a piece of luggage is any substantially closed container which is adapted to be carried by hand.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide apparatus for the display and protection of an award in which a piece of luggage is provided with sealed pockets in which an award may be inserted for viewing from outside the luggage and which may be securely sealed to prevent foreign particles from entering the pocket containing the award.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a piece of luggage having a sealed pocket for display of an award outside the luggage and having a hinged cover inside the luggage for sealing the pocket closed to prevent foreign particles passing from inside the luggage into the pocket.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a piece of luggage having a sealed pocket to hold and display an award on the outside of the luggage and a cover which may be securely latched to prevent foreign particles from entering the pocket.
It is a further object of this invention to provide apparatus for the display and protection of an award which includes a piece of luggage in a pocket formed between a transparent sheet and a support member having a slit for insertion of an award, the pocket being attached to the luggage by double sided tape.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the following description.